A man was arrested this morning under the Terrorism Act in connection with suicide bomb attacks on coalition forces in Iraq, police said.

Around 30 officers raided a house in Great Southern Street, Moss Side, Manchester, early today and arrested a man.

Greater Manchester Police said the arrest was not in relation to any threat in the UK but to "an incident overseas" involving suicide bomb attacks in Iraq.

A police spokesman said: "Since the beginning of the year, there have been a series of suicide bombings against coalition forces in Iraq.

"It appears that one of the suicide bombers may have travelled from the UK where he had been living.

"The action involved around 30 police officers and took place at 5am this morning.

"The area around Great Southern Street has been cordoned off. One man, currently living at the address, has been arrested under the Terrorism Act."

The spokesman added: "This arrest is unconnected to any incident or threat in this country."

The arrested man is in his 40s and is alleged to be the flatmate of another men who travelled to Iraq as a suicide bomber.

A police spokesman said: "This operation involved two suspects - one who used to live at the address in Great Southern Street before he travelled to Iraq to take part in a suicide bomb attack, and the other who was still living at the address until his arrest this morning."

The two men are not believed to be related and were described by a police source as "associates".

Following the raid, police distributed information leaflets to people in surrounding houses and streets.

The leaflets said the action followed an allegation that "an individual who once lived in the area was involved in a terrorist incident in Iraq earlier this year".

They also said: "There is nothing to indicate that at any time there has been any threat to the community of Greater Manchester."

Police officers stood guard at the house this morning, while others patrolled nearby streets.

Neighbours reacted with shock to the raid.

One 33-year-old Iranian, who did not want to be named, said: "I think there are a couple of Arabic guys living there. I think they could have been Kurdish.

"They kept themselves to themselves. This is not a bad area and this is a shock."

* MORE than a dozen gunmen launched an assault on a Baghdad police station early today, wounding two policemen.

About 15 men in three cars opened fire in a gun battle that lasted 20 minutes, said a police spokesman.